Suspension clamp



April 21 1931. H, l 1,801,779

SUSPENSION CLAMP Filed Nov. 7. 1927 2 s a: a 1 '8 ig 5%! -55 V E6 INVENTOR Frederic /71/7/'//e/7 AT'i'ORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1931 FREDERIC H. MILLER, F WILKINSBURG,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA V I SUSPENSION CLAMP Application filed November 7, 1927. Serial No. 231,524.

My invention relates to transmission-line clamps and particularly tosuspension clamps of the automatically releasable type.

One object of my invention is to provide ,5 a clamp of the above-indicated character that shall provide effective release of the conductor irrespective of irregular distribution of the clamping forces therein.

Another object of my invention is to provide a clamp embodying resilient clamping means that shall facilitate its mounting and dismounting relative to a conductor by permitting the resilient means to be rendered inactive during the-mounting'and dismounting operations.

Another object of my invention is to provide an automatically releasable clamp that shall so embody a rectilinearly movable member or members for effecting its release as to improve the operation thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide a clamp'that shall :be simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture and effective in its operation.

Heretofore, in transmission-line clamp practice, it has been usual to permanently connect the clamps to theconductors so that any release of the conductors therefrom during service, and'other than manual release,

would be of accidental rather than of intentional nature.

However, it has also been suggested to provide clamps that, under predetermined line conditions, such as breaking of the co nductors, automatically release the conductors.

Certain of the clampsof the latter type operate'to' permit the conductors to slide through the clamps against the clamping 40 forces of the resilient means, whereas, in

releasing clamps of other types, the clamping members are forced apart or permitted to so operate as to effect a more positive release of the conductors.

'While my invention contemplates a clamp that is more particularly adapted as a clamp of thepositive release type, it has features which may be useful inreleasing clamps of eithertype.

6 .Among the clamps above mentioned, there are those: which may not distribute the clamping forces equally between the clamping members. This is particularly true of a clamp embodying'a plurality of springs acting through difierent portions of the clamping members whereby, unless special provision, as in my invention, is made to insure the equal release of the springs, the

clamp maybe ineffective.

It is myaim to overcome the above mentioned objection by providing a clamp that shall permit or provide symmetrical release of the clamping forces, irrespective of differences in the values of the forces and the distribution thereof.

Accordingly, in'practicing my invention, I provide a. clamp comprising relatively movable clamping members that are so mov ed or permitted to move at substantially .rightangles to the clamping surfaces thereof, or in whichuthe released forcesiare so exerted adjacent to the various points of application of the clamping forces, as to attain the object of my invention and to provide a clamp that is, in general, an improvement over clamps heretofore suggested.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a suspension clamp constructed in accordance with my invention, r

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II+II of Fig. 1, and.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines III-III-of Fig. 1.

. The device comprises, in general, a lower conductor-receiving or channel member 2 for the reception of a conductor 3, a c0mplementary upper clamping member or shoe 4 and asuspension element or. yoke 5 for supporting the clamp and the conductor.

The channel member 2 comprises an inter mediate main body portion 7 ofsubstantial- 1y half-tubular formation having flared end portions 8, a depending central portion, 10, longitudinal re-inforcing ribs 11, and depending portions 12 of inverted substantially cup-shape disposed at opposite sides of the depending portion 10 centrally beneath the conductor. 3."

-- site walls of the recess.

The upper clamping or shoe member 4 also, comprises a main body portion 14 of half-tubular formation having flared end portions 15 and further, comprises side por tions 17 for attaching the upper ends of links 18 thereto, as by screws 20.

The links 18 are connected at the lower ends thereof, as by screws 21, to plunger or pistonlike members 23 which are disposed in the cup-shaped portions 12 of the channel member 2. A longitudinally-movable beam member 25 is secured in position beneath. the plunger members 23 by screws 26 that extend through longitudinally-extending centrally-disposed end slots 27 in the member 25' and, through the p'lungers 23, into interiorly threaded bosses 28 at the upper central portions of the cup portions 12. The screws 26 are provided with head portions 30 at the upper ends thereof to limit the downward movement of the screws, the heads 30 being disposed in recesses 31 that are closed at the upper ends thereof by members 33 which are fixed in position in the channel member 2 and constitute portions of the clamping surface thereof.

The beam member 25 is provided, at the upper side of the slotted portion 27 at each end thereof, with diverging sloping surfaces 35 that embrace similarly sloping surfaces 36 on the adjacent plunger member 23.

The suspensionor supporting element 5 is preferably in the form of a yoke having a socket or other usual :portion 38 for attachment to a suspension insulator (not shown), and depending legs 39 in which trunnions 40 are disposed.

The trunnions 40 are preferably disposed in alignment with each other opposite the axis of the conductor 3 and are connected to the channel member 2, by means of links 42- and a pin 43 that may be suitably held in position as by a cotter pin 44. The pin 43 extends through the depending portion 10 which is provided with lugs 45 to prevent turning of the links 42 about the pin 43.

The legs 39 of the yoke 5 have longitudinally-extended portions 47 for the reception of a ;pin 48 that extends transversely therebetween and is held in position, as by a cotter :pin 49. The pin 48 also, extends through a recess 50 in the member 25 in normally, laterally-spaced relation to portions 52 of the member 25 constituting oppo- In other Words, in the normally vertically-suspended position of the yoke 5, as illustrated, in which the clamping members 2 and 4 are in the horizontal position, the pin 48 is so centrally disposed in the recess 50, between the portions 52 of the member 25, as to permit slight movement of the pinto the right and left, as viewed in Fig. 1, without affecting the member 25 Thus, under normal line oscillations, the clamping action between the members 2 and 4, which is effected by springs 55 in the cup-shaped portions 12, is unaffected.

The springs 55 are normally under compression, between the member 2 and the plunger members 23, to exert clamping forces between the clamping members 2 and 4, through the links 18.

\Vhen, in response to breakage of the conductor 3 or other abnormal line condition, the suspension element or yoke 5 moves about the axes of the trunnions 40 a sufficient angular distance relative to the clamping members 2 and 4, the pin 48 engages one of the portions 52 of the beam member 25 to move the member 25 rectilinearly, in a direction substantially parallel to the clamping members 2 and 4 and to a portion of the conductor 3 in the clamp. This action causes one of the surfaces 35, at each end of the member 25, to engage one of the sloping surfaces 36 of the corresponding plunger member 23, whereby the plungers are raised against the actionof-the springs 55 to simultancously and equally lift all ofthe links 18. Thus, the members2 and 4 are moved away from each other and retained in substantially parallel-plane relation, while being so moved, to effectively release the conductor irrespective of differences which may exist in the forces exerted by the respective springs 55.

This action is in contradistinction to a clamp, employing a plurality of springs, and a releasing member of single point contact with one of the clamping members, whereby unequalclamping forces may not be equally released.

While I have shown anddescribed a particular form of my invention, changes may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A transmission-line supporting clamp comprising a pair of relatively movable clamping members for extension, along the line, means for effecting clamping action therebetween including a spring centrally disposed opposite one of said members for forcing it toward the other and link means connected between the outer end of said spring and said other clamping member.

.2. A transmissiondine supporting clamp comprising a suspension yoke, a pair of rela tively-movable clamping members supported by-the legs of the yoke, one of said members being pivotally connected to said legs, spring means for transmitting clamping forces between the clamping members and means including an elongated member @moved along a straight line parallel to its longitudinal axis by said yoke in response to predetermined angular movement thereof relative to the clamping members for moving the clamping members away from each other against the action of said spring means and maintaining the clamping members in substantially parallel relation during such movement irrespective of the distribution of the clamping forces.

3. A transmission-line supporting clamp comprising an elongated conductor-receiving channel member having an intermediate pivot-supporting portion and a portion of inverted substantially cup-shape at each side of said pivot-supporting portion, a yoke having its free ends pivotally related to said pivot-supporting portion and a releasing element also adjacent to said free ends, a plunger and a spring in each of said cups, a clamping member for cooperation with said channel member, link-connecting means between said clamping member and said plunger, and a member extending along the clamp for cooperation with said releasing element and said plunger to release the clamp.

4. A transmission-line-supporting clamp comprising clamping members for extension along the line conductor, a supporting element for said members pivotally associated therewith at a mid position thereof, means for exerting clamping forces between said members at opposite sides of said position therealong and means responsive to predetermined movement of said element relative to said members including means actuated by said element for causing the clamping members to move relatively to release position and to prevent the same. from moving angularly relative to each other.

5. A transmission-line-supporting clamp comprising clamping members for extension along the line conductor, a supporting element for said members pivotally associated therewith at a mid position thereof, means for exerting clamping forces between said members at opposite sides of said position therealong and means responsive to predetermined movement'of said element relative to said members including means extending to opposite sides of said position and actuated by said element for simultaneous operation to cause the clamping members to move relatively to release position.

6. A transmlssion-line-supporting clampcomprising clamping members for extension along the line conductor, a supporting element for said members pivotally associated therewith at a mid position thereof, means at opposite sides of said position along said members for exerting clamping forces between said members and means responsive to predetermined movement of said element relative to said members for releasing the conductor including means at opposite sides of said position along said members actuated by said supporting element and said means at opposite sides operatively cooperating simultaneously with said clamping-forceexerting means for effecting substantially simultaneous equal release thereof irrespective of differences in the values of the clamping forces;

7. A transmission-line-supporting clamp comprising clamping members, a supporting element for said members pivotally associated therewith, means for exerting clamping forces between said members and means responsive to predetermined pivotal movement of said element relative to said members including a member actuated by said element to move parallel to said clamping members to cause the latter to move relatively to releasing position. 7

8. A transmission-line-supporting clamp comprising relatively movable clamping members for extension along the line conductor, a supporting element for said members pivotally associated therewith at a mid position thereof, separate springs including only one at each side of said position along the conductor and means whereby clamping forces of said springs are symmetrically transmitted between said members.

9. A transmission-line-supporting clamp comprising relatively movable clamping members for extensionalong the line conductor, a supporting element for said members pivotally associated therewith at a mid position thereof, helical springs including one at each side of said position having its axis directed substantially through an axis between the clamping members corresponding to the position of the conductor axis when the latter is in position in the clamp and means whereby clamping forces of said ]springs are transmitted between said memers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subicribed my name this 31st day of October, 192 I FREDERIO H. MILLER. 

